The Standard and Poor's 500 dipped 0.38 of a point or 0.01% to finish virtually unchanged at 2,596.26

NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks took a breather on Friday after five straight days of gains, but losses were minimal.

A fall in energy prices and uncertainty about earnings results, expected to accelarate next week, kept buyers cautious.

Weve clawed our way back and now the market is just waiting ahead of the start of earnings season next week, Donald Selkin, Chief Market Strategist at Newbridge Securities in New York told Reuters Friday. Were just drifting.

At the close of trading Friday the Dow Jones industrials were down 5.97 points or 0.02% at 23,995.95.

The Standard and Poor's 500 dipped 0.38 of a point or 0.01% to finish virtually unchanged at 2,596.26.